The present invention relates to a device and/or system used to control electrical devices.
Electrical devices, such as, an electrical appliance, light source, or electric fan, may be controlled by multi-pole power switches including three-way and four-way switches. These switches may be used to turn ON and OFF the electrical device. Moreover, these switches are operable to turn ON and OFF these electrical devices from more than one location. Toggling any one of the switches can cause the electrical device to change states. That is, to change from ON to OFF or vice versa.
In some applications, however, it may be desirable to dim the light or change the rate of fan revolutions of the electrical fan rather than simply toggling the state of the electrical device from ON to OFF. Therein, a control device such as a dimmer may be used to affect the state of the light or fan. Moreover, wireless remote control of these electrical devices, further including televisions, hi-fi equipment, and air-conditioners may be used to turn ON, turn OFF, to dim or adjust other variable settings of these devices. Specifically, a master control switch may be configured to control, through the use of a dimmer, one or more light sources within a room such that each light has variable illumination. In addition, a remote control switch may control these same light sources by varying the intensity of each source. There are scenarios, however, wherein the position of the controlled load (i.e. a light or fan) is not visible from the position where a user seeks to control the load. In particular, the user may be adjusting a dimmer of a light from a first room in a house while the user is located in a second room. Since the user is unable to see the effect of the dimmer on the intensity of the light, this approach will not enable the user to properly control the brightness of the light.
Therefore, a need exists for a control switching system having a control panel that provides a user with status information of the electrical device connected thereto.